RS

MEMBER DIARY

Boehner: Abdication Isn’t Just for the Pope

Until couple of weeks ago, the concept of abdication was likely little more than a vague historical concept to most Americans. But with the Pope stepping down for the first time in over 700 years, abdication has taken on modern relevance. But as it turns out, abdicating authority has been alive and well along along, right here in our own nation’s capitol.

One of the governing principles of the last Republican Speaker of the House, Dennis “Denny” Hastert was that only legislation receiving support from a “majority of the majority” would be allowed to move to the floor.

Whatever other mistakes Mr. Hastert may have made during his tenure, by adhering to this principle he allowed the conservative majority to help control the flow of legislation.

Unfortunately, the current Republican Speaker seems to have abandoned this principle.
Three times in the last few months, Speaker John Boehner has gone against his conservative majority in the House in order to pass legislation with Democrat votes.

And he seems poised to do so once again—on gun control legislation.

During an interview on Meet the Press this weekend Speaker Boehner announced unilaterally that should the Senate send a gun control bill to the House, Boehner would move a similar bill to the floor.

That should be the last straw.

Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX) and Paul Broun (R-GA) are circulating a letter to House Republicans designed to reinstate the Hastert Rule for consideration of gun control legislation. It is critical that conservative members of the House sign onto this letter. If they refuse, they should hear from conservatives in their district. They can’t let their fear of reprisal from Boehner continue to allow Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) or Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to control the agenda in the House–especially not on our Second Amendment rights.